Cancellation for 2011 of the Cannonsville Adventure Triathlon - the CAT Race. Stay in touch with our blog to be the first to hear about how we rework it for 2012. Thanks for your support - and please get out and paddle on the Cannonsville Reservoir this summer. Waters open Memorial weekend through Columbus weekend, dawn till dusk.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Today the organizing committee for the inaugural Cannonsville Adventure Triathlon decided to cancel the event for this year. Low registrations with only three weeks left to hit minimum targets, and large financial and time commitments, that needed to be made in the next few days, were the main reasons for the cancellation. The CAT Race was planned to be an adventure type triathlon featuring run and bike legs, with the swim replaced by a paddle.

The Cannonsville Adventure Triathlon organizing committee wants to thank the numerous volunteer efforts from the staff of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Delaware County Economic Development, the town and village of Hancock, local and state highway departments, the Delaware County Sheriff’s office and Emergency Management Service, New York State troopers, the Hancock Chamber of Commerce, Hancock Partners, as well as the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the Catskill Watershed Corporation.

"It is unfortunate that all the parties involved with the first inaugural Cannonsville Adventure Triathlon had to make a decision to cancel the event for lack of participation. I believe the overall economic condition in our region at this time have made possible participants very cautious when it comes to spending their entertainment dollars." stated Jim Eisel, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Delaware County.

Glenn Nealis, Director of Economic Development for Delaware County, sees promise in a future reincarnation of the CAT Race. “Our goal is to promote this access to the Cannonsville Reservoir and the recreational opportunities in Delaware County. We will take another look at what type of race we can hold here that will highlight those assets and be easy for racers to participate in. What that will look like for 2012 will be decided over the coming months – be it a true triathlon, biathlon, paddle only event or adventure race with different components.”

“The cooperation between all these organizations must be applauded.” stated Mary Beth Silano, Executive Director of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. “Everyone was incredibly professional, accessible, and thorough in putting together their portion of the event. While we are all disappointed we could not start it this year, we are eager to put what we learned to work for a great event next year.”

In 2009, the DEP launched a three-year pilot program to expand recreational boating opportunities at Cannonsville Reservoir, which meant that kayaks, canoes, rowboats and small sailboats were allowed on the reservoir. The Cannonsville Reservoir features nine boat launch sites that ring the shoreline, all outfitted with parking areas and port-a-johns. During the first year, 185 permit holders requested 407 boat tags. Last year, about 160 permit holders requested 344 boat tags. (Each tag is valid for one week with the requirement that the boat be kept on reservoir grounds.) All person in the boats using the Cannonsville waters must acquire an Access Permit from DEP. Permits are free and easy to obtain online at www.nyc.gov/dep. DEP boating access rules require that the canoes and kayaks be steam cleaned prior to going out on the water. There is a fee for the boat cleaning.

The reservoir is open for recreational boating from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend, from dawn until dusk. The waters, while flat, do have currents and good winds, providing a great boating or sailing experience. Bald eagles nest along the eastern portion of the reservoir and can often be seen scouting the waters for fish. A free map with rules and regulations for boating on Cannonsville Reservoir is available by calling 866-775-4425, emailing info@greatwesterncatskills.com, or stopping by the Delaware County Chamber office at 5 ½ Main Street in Delhi.

To stay informed of future plans for the race, participants should bookmark the race blog at cannonsvilletriathlon.blogspot.com.